Someday You Will Look At Me
by Escoger
Summary: After the failed wedding, Ranma, who has been avoiding the other fiancees for a week thanks to the fiasco, gets into a fight with Ryoga. While paralyzed as a result of a surprising defeat, he learns that perhaps he misjudged them and their choices.


**Someday You Will Look At Me**

_Make sure you see all of my sides before you judge me as unworthy..._

**Disclaimer: I am not Rumiko Takahashi, nor do I own Ranma 1/2.**

-WHAM- -CRASH- -BAM-

The battle between the bandanna-clad boy and the pig-tailed one raged on, just like the many battles identical to it before. The bandanna-wearing one aimed a series of single powerful blows and holds, each one capable of doing severe damage to his foe, or even knocking him out in one hit. As usual, the target of these blows dodged them like a leaf buffeted by the wind, not a single one hitting him, then retaliating with a blistering barrage of attacks, individually significantly weaker than those aimed at him, but in great quantity. As he was hammered by the barrage of his enemy, the eternally lost boy, Ryoga, roared.

"Stop running you coward! STAND STILL RANMA!"

Most of the time, the battle would have gone as thus: Ryoga gets angry, Ryoga attacks Ranma, Ranma dodges, Ranma counters, Ryoga gets extremely angry, Ryoga gets outsmarted or outfought, Ranma wins; however, this time Ryoga had managed to break the pattern, not to Ranma's knowledge. For once, Ryoga was battling without his anger clouding his judgment, completely focused on victory; as such, while his attacks seemed as usual, completely telegraphed and thus easily dodged by his pig-tailed rival, he was slowly moving Ranma into a trap. Oblivious to this, Ranma continued taunting Ryoga into a blind rage.

"Hey Pig boy! If ya attack any slower, I could dodge you while sleeping! Oh wait, I did that once!"

Ryoga roared in apparent rage and charged Ranma, apparently hoping to crush him with sheer body mass, but Ranma just backed into an alleyway a bit while smirking confidently and hitting Ryoga with another barrage of punches which Ryoga blocked, if only barely. Ryoga then telegraphed a straight right punch at his rival, but when the typical dodge to the left occurred, Ryoga had already moved to counter it; he grabbed the wall with the hand he had thrown the punch with and used it to execute a spin and elbow his hated foe in the gut before grabbing him and throwing him further into the alleyway.

Even from such a powerful blow, Ranma was able to recover quite quickly and was soon back on his feet, but that throw had only been in order to stun him and give the lost boy a bit of room for his big move. Drawing on all of the depression he had felt when he had seen Akane willing to throw her life away to help his rival at Jusendo against Saffron, he fired his attack with a shout.

"LION'S ROAR BLAST!"

Ranma, even from such a shocking turn of events, was very good at dodging, but he realized the full extent of the trap he was in when he realized that the blast Ryoga had fired was almost exactly the width of the alleyway. Even through his state of surprise and worry, Ranma was able to call upon enough of his confidence to fire the counter he had developed to Ryoga's attack so long ago.

"PRIDE OF THE FIERCE TIGER!"

Normally, the attacks of the two boys were of similar power and would cancel one another out, but the powerful depression that Ryoga had been channeling into the blast caused it to be significantly stronger than Ranma's, especially since Ranma's confidence had been shaken severely by the sudden turning of the tide. This mean that, when the two attacks clashed, Ranma's was overwhelmed, leaving its owner to bear the mighty blast. All that was left to do was attempt to block as much of it as possible, leaving the pig-tailed boy weakened, but not beaten just yet.

Realizing that the alley was a bad place to be against Ryoga, especially when his follow-up in the form of several Chi-charged bandannas showed up, Ranma jumped up and bounced from wall to wall until he had managed to make it back to the street. Ryoga immediately followed and the melee clash continued, although with Ryoga no longer telegraphing his blows anymore, causing it to become much more even than before as, while Ranma was hitting with the vast majority of his attacks, Ryoga's were stronger and he was becoming far more accurate with his attacks. As they battled, Ranma slowly moved backwards and started curving the path of destruction the two warriors were taking; Ryoga realized what this meant with a snarl, Ranma was setting up for his ultimate attack. Roaring, Ryoga shouted aloud, "Give it up Ranma! THIS TIME YOU LOSE!"

Even with the battle going against him, Ranma managed to keep up his smirk in the face of Ryoga's attacks and taunted him again, "Just so you know, Akane will never want to see you again...I 'accidentally' let the P-chan secret slip last night!"

Normally, Ryoga would have gone into a spitting rage at this, but as he realized what Ranma was trying to do, he managed to keep himself calm as he waited for the chance that he knew was coming. Soon, Ranma had finished setting up the spiral and shouted, "Good try Ryoga, but Ranma Saotome never loses! FLYING DRAGON ASCENSION STRIKE!"

As Ranma performed the uppercut that started the his ultimate attack, Ryoga, who had been waiting for it, grabbed his hand just after he had finished the punch as Ranma's eyes went wide at the sight of his ultimate strike only creating a strong breeze rather than the tornado he was expecting. Ryoga then simultaneously pulled him closer with his left arm and punched him with all of his strength with his right arm, right in the solar plexus. Ranma immediately collapsed, eyes closed shut from the pain, unable to stand after such a powerful attack. Rather than wait for him to recover, Ryoga grinned ferally and pressed a certain pressure point on the aquatransexual's body, causing him to be unable to move a muscle, and laid him flat on his back; then he chuckled and said, "Apparently 'Ranma Saotome' can and just did lose! That pressure point I pressed will leave you paralyzed for a few hours; my revenge will be having you lie there on the ground, thinking about how the mighty 'Ranma Saotome' was defeated completely! Until next time, pig-tailed jerk!"

Ranma curse mentally, unable to do so verbally because of the pressure point that Ryoga had hit him with. 'Stupid Pig! Next time I see him, I'll punt him into Juuban! I hope that nobody I know sees me, they would have a hell of a time laughing at me.' Apparently, Ranma's hopes were to be dashed, as he heard two voices coming from opposite ends of the street shouting.

"Ranchan!"

"Airen!"

Ranma groaned mentally and considered to converting to another religion, Christianity perhaps, as Kami clearly had it in for him. 'Just great, I've been avoiding these two for a week since the wedding because I didn't want to talk to them as they clearly were willing to do anything to stop me from marrying anyone else but them, and what should happen? They find me, paralyzed and alone. JUST GREAT!' As he ranted mentally, the two girls, Ukyo and Shampoo respectively, were checking him over to see if he was okay.

"Is Ranchan OK? He looks like he was knocked unconscious by someone tough..."

"Airen is strong; very few of Japan can beat Ranma. Maybe Great-grandmother, Perverted Troll or Pig Boy, but that it."

"Hmm, This looks like it was Ryoga's doing. Happosai would have splashed him with cold water, and I doubt Cologne would have beaten him up like this."

"Pig Boy dead next time Shampoo meet..."

"Agreed."

Ranma, expecting the two girls to start fighting over his unconscious body or something, was surprised when the two of them picked him up tenderly, Ukyo by the arms, and Shampoo by the legs, and started walking. Then Ukyo said, "To the Tendo's, right?"

"Yes. Shampoo and Ukyo move now, OK?"

For a few minutes, the three walk, pretty slowly as far as Ranma can tell, but the walk is long and the silence is clearly boring, so Ukyo starts talking. "You know, I am starting to think that Ranchan has been avoiding me since that accursed wedding, not even giving me the chance to explain myself; is it the same with you too?"

Ranma couldn't tell if Shampoo had nodded or shook her head, but he was mentally responding, 'Of course I was! I'm not going to apologize to either of you two until the two of you apologize to Akane and me and mean it!' Shampoo then said curiously, "What Spatula Girl want to explain? No need for apology, is there?"

As Ukyo laughed at the idea for an apology, Ranma mentally glowered at her. 'I can't believe it! I thought that she was my friend! How could she do something like that to me and Akane and not even apologize!?' Then Ukyo said, "Yeah, after Nabiki called, I knew that I had to stop it. I mean, not even you and Cologne would try kidnapping AND bribing Ranchan with a cure to his curse in order to get him to marry you. As his friend and fiancée, there was no way that I was gonna let him get forced to marry anyone, especially not Akane!"

As Ranma tried to work his mind around what he had just heard, Shampoo replied quickly, in a tone that said she was a bit miffed, "Shampoo get call from Nabiki too, of course she then have Shampoo pay lots in order to pretend to be caterer to stop wedding. 500,000 yen is lot of money indeed, but it worth it to stop airen from marrying Kitchen Destroyer against will, even if Shampoo have to hurt a few people some, especially Panda Man. Shampoo no let anyone take Ranma like that..."

At this, Ranma had to admit to himself that he had misjudged the two girls; even if it might have perhaps have been something that he could have wanted, they didn't know that. 'For all they knew, I was being forced to marry her against my will, although I can't say I am happy that they ruined the wedding, at least they did it with relatively good intentions. Maybe I should've listened to what they had to say after it happened.'

Meanwhile, Shampoo then asked Ukyo, in a mild tone of voice, "Then why Spatula Girl say at reception that she wish she had idea bring dress..."

Ranma could almost hear her blush as Ukyo responded in a clearly embarrassed tone of voice, "Well...I kinda hoped that once Ranma had found out about my reasons, he would have chosen to marry me then and there in thanks... Hey! A girl can dream!"

Ranma mentally snorted; while he would definitely forgive Ukyo, he definitely didn't have any intention of marrying her. As far as he was considered, he liked her mainly as a friend, same with Shampoo. Then Shampoo spoke again. "What Spatula Girl think about situation with Ranma and other girls now? Think he forgive and forget?"

Ukyo, although clearly miffed at being referred to as 'other girl' said calmly, "Well, I would say the chances of the two of us are about equal now."

Ranma sighed and mentally noted, 'Sorry Ucchan, but its equal and about zero...' Shampoo then said, apparently having nodded or agreed somehow, "Why Spatula Girl spend so much time fighting with Shampoo, it clearly Akane who is main threat now. Ranma seem to love her, especially after Jusendo..."

Ranma, while still unwilling to admit that, was quite surprised by Ukyo's reaction. She laughed and said, "What took you so long China Girl? He has clearly been in love with her and vice-versa for a while now. It was obvious to anyone who knew him like I did. As for why I kept fighting you, I just kept getting carried away, kinda like the wedding ehheheh... I don't plan on letting that happen again."

Shampoo, clearly embarrassed, responded, "Shampoo get too too distracted, not pay as much attention as she should. Shampoo not let Shampoo get carried away again either."

'If the two of them know that I love...might lo...really like Akane, then why haven't they given up? I don't wanna hurt 'em any more than I have to... I really like 'em, even if its not the kind of like they want...' Maybe Ukyo was a mind-reader, as she then said, while continuing to carry Ranma to the Tendo's, "I know he loves her, but that doesn't mean that he's gonna marry her. Heck, as much as they may love each other, I'll bet good money that their marriage wouldn't last; just like their relationship, I don't think its gonna keep going for very long, no matter how much they love each other. After that, it's basically you and me in the field as I don't think he'd touch either of the Kunos with a two-hundred-foot pole! He'd marry Konatsu before either of them!"

As the two laughed at the idea of Ranma marrying Konatsu, Ranma was incensed. 'Hey! If I wanted to marry Akane and I lo-liked her a lot, it'd work just fine! It'd last forever... wouldn't it?' Shampoo then asked, "What Spatula girl mean? If they love each other, they end up happy won't they? Even If Shampoo hate idea of airen with Pervert Girl..."

To this, Ukyo responded, with an almost-scholarly tone of voice, something that Ranma had never heard from her before, "Listen, I've watched a lot of couples in love break up in my shop during my time as a okonomiyaki chef, so trust me on this one. Look at love and a relationship as a bridge between two people if you would; Ranma and Akane's love is something incredible, like a truly massive and shining slab of gold that crosses the ravine between the two of 'em. It's beautiful, and strong, and it seems like their relationship is the same way, OK?"

Ranma couldn't tell, but he suspected Shampoo was nodding; he was more concerned about where Ukyo was going with what she said. 'If we got love like a giant shining slab of gold, how would that mean that our relationship is doomed?' Then Ukyo continued, "I know it seems strange Shampoo, but keep with me. Now then, the thing to understand is that, in a relationship, love is vital, but insufficient to sustain the relationship on its own, and that's why those two are doomed. I mean, I know that Akane frequently hits him cus she's embarrassed and he insults her so he doesn't look emotional, but it's the reasons behind that stuff that's gonna kill'em. Ranchan really doesn't have much respect for her; no matter how much he may love her, he still thinks of her as a stupid, violent tomboy. As for Akane, she always believes the worst in him and never trusts him; if she can't trust him, how's she gonna spend the rest o' her life with him. Will she get one of those new tracking collars?"

Ukyo then sighed and said, "You see, that big hunk of gold acting like a bridge between them has weak supports; no matter how much they love each other and how strong that bridge is, without any support in the form of trust or respect, its gonna eventually collapse under its own weight, same with their relationship."

'I don't disrespect that stupid tomboy, do I? No, Ukyo's wrong, if I loved Akane like she said, it would certainly be enough. Think of all those movies that Nabiki likes to watch where love saves the world and lasts forever and junk like that; if love weren't enough, then why would people make movies like that?' Then a small whisper seemed to appear in his head, symbolizing the doubt that Ukyo had just created in his minds. 'What if Ucchan is right? What if all that stuff she said is true? If she wasn't able to trust me, would it really last forever?'

While Ranma wrestled with his doubts, Shampoo then asked, "Still...We've been trying so long to win his love with no sign of it; even if Akane lost, would we be able to win?"

Ukyo, in that same pseudo-scholarly tone as before, said, "Look at it this way, who does Ranchan view as his primary fiancée?"

"Is obvious, Pervert Girl. What Ukyo point."

Ranma wondered the same thing as Ukyo continued, "Now then, Ranchan is very honorable, something that the both of us really like about him; if he viewed Akane as the primary fiancée, he'd never cheat on her if he could help it, both because he's honorable and because he loves her. Now then, if he started to feel anything for us beyond a simple friendship, he'd crush that instantly, now wouldn't he?"

Ranma considered this to himself. 'Ucchan is probably right about that, I'd never betray Akane like that and would probably try really hard to stop myself from doing something to hurt her. Ironic that Ryoga always claims otherwise, eh?' Shampoo slowly responded, almost hesitantly, replied, "So Spatula Girl mean that, even if Ranma no show feelings now, that no mean he wouldn't have them after give up on Violent Pervert Girl; right? If that true, what Spatula Girl plan on doing now then?"

"Well China Girl, that's a simple answer actually. Soun has actually decided to wait on the wedding until after Ranma and Akane fix up their problems with the rest of us. All I'm gonna do is delay the two of them, unless they both change how they feel 'bout the other and start trustin' and respectin' each other of course. If they did, then I might just give up. He is my friend and all, and I really do love him. If it looked like they could go the distance, maybe then I might give up, but if it just looks like it'll end up in a messy divorce, like now, I'm not gonna give up as long as I can still breathe without the slightest remorse."

'Hey, I could make it work, I am Ranma Saotome and I never lose, not even in the field of marriage! That defeat by Ryoga was just a fluke, it wasn't a real challenge so it doesn't really count...Never mind, I just sounded far too much like Kuno for my tastes. Still, I won't give up unless I gotta. I really like her after all, and there's no way I wouldn't give it my all if it came to a relationship!'

Then Shampoo, apparently deciding to taunt Ukyo a bit, said, while giggling a little, "Well, if Spatula Girl right, Shampoo would probably win then. Shampoo have you beat in figure and martial arts, plus, airen only ever saw Ukyo as friend, he never look at her as more."

Ukyo, rather than retaliating as usual, apparently this little talk had done wonders for their relationship or something, ribbed her back, "Well, Ranchan isn't the type to be won over by a pretty face, or both of us woulda creamed Akane long ago, and as for martial arts, I could kick your butt any day of the week!"

She then softly continued, "At the moment, he doesn't want to look too hard at either of us; he could hurt his relationship with his little 'Violent Pervert Girl'. He doesn't want to consider any other possibilities. He may have never looked for more than friendship in me, but one day, after Akane and him finally fireball, he will consider it. Someday he will look at the both of us and consider whether he could find love in us; that day, I vow, he will look at me and decide he likes what he sees."

Shampoo then snorted, "In Spatula Girl's dream maybe; that day, he look at Shampoo and decide on her!"

As Ranma considered what the two of them had said, that stupid doubting voice spoke up inside his head. 'What if they are right? Could I end up with one of them?' In response, his normal mental thoughts said, 'Even if they are right, it won't happen. Akane and I will make the relationship work and have a happy ending. So does it really matter if I could end up with Ucchan or Shampoo and be happy?' The voice was silent; apparently it felt it had already made its point.

Suddenly, Ranma heard the two girls walking on wood rather than on stone, signifying that they had made it back to the Tendo's. The two of them brought him up the stairs to his futon and laid him in bed, then started walking back down. 'Even if they are wrong about the relationship junk, I guess I gotta apologize to 'em for avoiding them like that, they had good reasons after all. They are good people after all. Until then though, I am pretty tired to be quite honest.' Ranma started to nod off as he heard Akane, Genma, and Soun shouting downstairs about how he had been cheating on Soun's baby girl with one of his other fiancées, something that Ranma really hated as he'd never cheat on anyone, especially not the tomboy. 'I wish that she could trust me for real, it's not like I ever do anything...'

As Ranma nodded off, in a far off shrine, a freak gust of wind blew through the building, blowing past a host of love charms, leaving them untouched, save for one, which one happened to blow into a small lantern nearby, catching on fire. As the love charm slowly burned into ash, Ranma had one final thought before falling to sleep. 'Ucchan, Shampoo, not saying that you're right or anything, but if that day should come, maybe I would look at you like you want.'

**_Fin_**

**Author's Note: **I am running this based off of the end of the manga obviously. I wouldn't be surprised if the reasons that Ukyo and Shampoo crashed the wedding weren't something like this. Given that Nabiki should have definitely suspected that they wouldn't be pleased with the wedding, plus the fact that even she was at least mildly disgusted at her father for planning to exhort Ranma to do the wedding with the 'Spring of Drowned Man' water, I wouldn't be surprised if she told them at the least about the kidnapping, and maybe even about the water. Not completely out of the goodness of her heart of course, but so she could make a killing allowing them and the other suitors to get inside while carrying weapons.

If the two of them knew about the kidnapping of Ranma (my term obviously for knocking him out and taking him to the wedding in a tuxedo), it would be almost a requirement, if they loved him, to try to break him out of it. Just something to think about.

For those of you who haven't read the manga, at one point, near the end of it, Genma and Soun use a love charm at a shrine to bond the couple together, for once not stopped by any of the other parties. Obviously, in this fanfic, it's symbolizing that the battle is far from over by the fact that said love charm has just burst into flame.

Offtopic, I might someday turn this into a full-length fanfic, if you like the idea, please say so in the review.


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